By Lil Miss Fitness, LLC

Moderation – what does it even mean?

What does eating in moderation mean for you? Not the textbook definition we hear about all the time that it’s eating what you want and not being restrictive, etc. but having portion control, blah, blah blah… what does it really mean for you?

I believe we all have to look at moderation differently because we all have different cravings, weaknesses, mindsets, and goals. If your goal is to be healthy and fit with absolutely no physique goal in mind, then yes I think moderation probably looks a lot like stated above. You probably aren’t consumed with thoughts of food or your next meal, you eat almost anything, when you want and when you’re hungry, in correct portions. I wish I was this way to be honest, but I’m not at all so if you are then congrats! Keep it going UNLESS it’s not working for you.

For me, if I ate what i want, when I want, all the time I’d have no moderation, it’s just not how I work… if I need to cut a food out that I know isn’t healthy for me it’s all or nothing, I cut it out completely or I cheat and have some and can’t stop. I think there are a lot of you out there like me. It comes from a constant mindset for me or what’s “healthy” and what’s not and the consequences (at a very short stature of 4’11” I don’t have the freedom to eat everything I want – I may not think it’s fair, but it’s the truth).

Now, I also have physique goals in mind and that requires a totally different mindset and I believe that 100%. Can you have what society would say is a “great body” and eat in moderation and not be restrictive – yes you can! and many of the people I follow in the fitness world do just that. However, any of them would tell you that when it’s time to dial it in for whatever reason – valid or not- you have to start being more careful with the foods you select. I’m not talking about calorie restricting and crazy diets, just dialing in the quality of the foods that you eat.

I struggle with this on a daily basis and I’d be lying to all of you as readers if I said I have great willpower, I eat healthy all the time, etc. I don’t! I wish i did, trust me! I have always been conscious of my weight (and not for any real reason – never had pressure from anyone in my life to be a certain weight except myself) because I live, work, and breathe fitness. There is a misconception that “fit” people all look the same – they don’t! – you can read about that in one of my previous posts here. Due to the fact that I put so much pressure on myself – as do many of you – I constantly think about food, what’s healthy and what’s not, what exercise works best for me, did I do enough exercise, why isn’t my weight/measurements/etc changing faster OR I do the opposite and say to myself that I workout constantly, eat healthy and I DESERVE a cheat. This is a dangerous place to be. I haven’t figured out to battle it and beat it 100% yet but stay along for the journey with me and we’ll see what we can do together to break free!

Comment below or send me an email at lilmissfitness1@gmail.com if you have questions, would like any help with your struggles, or want to hear about a certain topic!